Category: NinjaTrader Platform | Last Updated: April 2026

Most Vector clients onboarded through QuantVPS with the VECTOR code receive their strategies already installed. This article covers the states a strategy can be in inside NinjaTrader, how to import a strategy when needed (typically after a new release), how to enable or disable it, and how to troubleshoot when something isn't behaving as expected.

If you're setting up a chart and attaching a strategy for the first time, that flow is covered in How to Create a Chart and Add a Strategy in NinjaTrader. This article focuses on the strategy file itself and its lifecycle.

Strategy States

Every Vector strategy in NinjaTrader exists in one of the following states:

• Imported — The strategy file has been compiled and is available in NinjaTrader, but not yet attached to any chart. It won't trade.
• Enabled — The strategy is attached to a chart with an account selected, and will execute trades when its signal conditions are met.
• Disabled — The strategy is attached to a chart but the Enabled checkbox is off. It won't trade until you check it again.
• Removed — The strategy file has been deleted from NinjaTrader. Any existing chart instances will fail until it's re-imported.

Key point: Having a strategy imported is not enough. It must be enabled on a chart with the correct account selected before it can trade.

Importing a Strategy File

You only need to do this when: - A new strategy update has been released in our Whop directory and you want to install it yourself, or - Your existing strategy file has been removed or corrupted

How to find the latest Vector strategy files: 1. Log into Whop and open the Vector Algorithmics hub 2. Go to Learn → Vector Strategy Files 3. Download the ZIP for the strategy you need

(You must have an active maintenance fee to access updates. If files are missing or you don't see the hub, open a support ticket.)

How to import the file into NinjaTrader: 1. Open NinjaTrader Control Center 2. Go to Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On… 3. Browse to the downloaded ZIP and click Open 4. NinjaTrader will compile the strategy (typically 10–30 seconds) 5. The strategy will appear in the list under New → Strategy when you right-click a chart

If you see a compilation error during import (e.g., "Syntax Error" or "Cannot compile"), the file may be incomplete or there may be a version mismatch with your NinjaTrader build. Open a support ticket and our team will verify the correct file for your setup.

Enabling and Disabling Strategies (the Fastest Way)

Once a strategy is attached to a chart, the fastest and cleanest way to enable or disable it is directly from the Control Center — not by opening each chart individually.

To enable/disable a single strategy: 1. In the Control Center, open the Strategies tab 2. Find the strategy instance you want to toggle 3. Click the checkbox next to it — checked = enabled, unchecked = disabled

To enable/disable multiple strategies at once: 1. In the Control Center → Strategies tab 2. Select all the strategies you want to toggle (hold Ctrl to pick multiple individually, or Shift to pick a range) 3. Right-click the selection → click Enable (or Disable)

This is by far the fastest way to flip many strategies at once — especially useful if you're running across multiple accounts or instruments.

⭐ Pro Tips

Pro Tip #1 — Refresh connections before enabling strategies every morning

Before you enable your strategies at the start of the session, refresh your broker connection (Control Center → Connections → disconnect → reconnect). This clears any stale data that may have accumulated overnight and prevents the strategy from initializing against a disconnected or flaky feed. Make this your first action of the morning, every morning.

Pro Tip #2 — Losing connection mid-session with open positions? Don't re-enable the strategy.

If your broker connection drops during a session and you have open positions, follow this order:

1. Refresh the connection (Control Center → Connections → reconnect)
2. Do NOT re-enable the strategy automatically. Re-enabling mid-trade can cause the strategy logic to close your existing positions unexpectedly.
3. Verify that your TP and SL orders are still in place on each account with an open position (see Chart Trader below).

In most cases, when the connection is restored without re-enabling the strategy, open positions stay intact with their TP and SL resting at the exchange. Always double-check to be sure — don't assume.

How to Check Open Positions and TP/SL (Chart Trader)

To verify that your open positions still have their TP and SL in place after a disconnect — or any time you want a live view of what's on an account — use Chart Trader.

Enabling Chart Trader: 1. Open the chart where the strategy is attached 2. Click the Chart Trader icon in the chart's top toolbar (see screenshot below — the red arrow on the left points to the icon; hovering over it shows the tooltip "Chart Trader") 3. A side panel will open on the right-hand side of the chart

Viewing your positions, TP, and SL: 1. In the Chart Trader side panel, locate the Account dropdown (see screenshot — the red arrow on the right points to it) 2. Select the account you want to check from the dropdown 3. The panel will show: - Current open positions for that account (size, direction, average price, unrealized P&L) - Active orders, including your TP (take profit) and SL (stop loss) orders resting at the exchange 4. Switch the Account dropdown to check each account individually

The red arrow on the left indicates the Chart Trader icon in the chart toolbar. The red arrow on the right indicates the Account dropdown in the Chart Trader side panel — use it to switch between accounts and view each one's positions, TP, and SL.

If TP/SL are missing after a disconnect (rare but possible), re-place them manually before re-enabling the strategy, or open a support ticket if you're unsure how to proceed.

Expected Behaviors

Strategies disable themselves after a NinjaTrader restart. This is normal and a safety feature. Every time you restart NinjaTrader (daily reconnect, crash recovery, update), you need to re-enable each strategy manually.

Strategies disable themselves when the broker connection drops. If your Rithmic/Tradovate connection goes down mid-session, the strategy will stop trading. Follow the Pro Tip #2 flow above before re-enabling.

Strategies may remain attached across workspace reloads. As long as you save your workspace after attaching the strategy, NinjaTrader will reload it on the next launch — but still in disabled state. Always re-enable from the Control Center in the morning.

Common Issues

Strategy won't enable (checkbox won't stay checked). Usually caused by: - Broker connection not green — re-establish the connection first - Timeframe on the chart doesn't match what the strategy expects - Wrong instrument type loaded (e.g., Stock row instead of Future) - Account field in the strategy properties is empty or invalid

Recheck the chart setup against the Settings Spreadsheet and try again.

Strategy is enabled but no trades are firing. First, confirm the strategy's signal conditions simply haven't triggered yet — the strategies are selective and there's no guarantee of a trade every day. Then verify: - The correct account is selected in the strategy properties - Chart timeframe and instrument match the Settings Spreadsheet - The broker indicator is green and data is updating

If the strategy should be firing based on a clear signal and isn't, open a support ticket with the strategy name, instrument, timeframe, and the approximate time of the expected trade.

Compilation error on import. The file may be incomplete or mismatched with your NinjaTrader build. Re-download from the Whop directory and retry. If it persists, open a support ticket.

Updating a Strategy

When Vector releases a new version of a strategy:

1. Download the new ZIP from Whop → Vector Algorithmics → Learn → Vector Strategy Files (maintenance fee must be active)
2. In NinjaTrader, import the new file (Tools → Import → NinjaScript Add-On…)
3. NinjaTrader compiles and replaces the existing version
4. Re-attach the updated strategy to your charts and re-enable

Don't update mid-trade. If a strategy has an open position, wait for it to close before importing the new version. Updates can reset the strategy's internal state.

For any update you're unsure about, open a support ticket — our team can handle the update on your VPS for you.

Removing a Strategy

If you want to remove a strategy entirely from NinjaTrader:

1. Detach it from any charts it's attached to
2. Go to Tools → Remove NinjaScript Assembly…
3. Select the strategy and confirm

Removals are permanent. Keep your downloaded ZIPs from Whop in a safe location — or simply re-download from the Whop directory if you need to restore.

Best Practices

• Refresh connections first, then enable strategies every morning.
• Re-enable from Control Center → Strategies tab (fastest method).
• Always verify the correct account is selected in each strategy instance before enabling.
• Save your workspace after any change (Control Center → Workspaces → Save).
• Same strategy, same chart across accounts. Attach the strategy multiple times to the same chart — one instance per account. Don't open a separate chart per account; it will overload your VPS.
• Different strategies, different charts. Never mix strategies on one chart, even if they share the same timeframe.
• Mid-session disconnect with open positions? Reconnect, but don't re-enable the strategy until you've verified TP/SL via Chart Trader.

Bottom Line

The fastest way to manage strategies is through the Control Center → Strategies tab — you can toggle single or multiple strategies in one click. Always refresh your broker connection before enabling for the day, and if you lose connection mid-session with open positions, reconnect without re-enabling until you've confirmed your TP/SL are still at the exchange (use Chart Trader to check).

For anything unclear — unexpected disables, compilation errors, missing TP/SL, or strategy updates — open a support ticket and a team member will help you directly.